Tear strip can opener



2, 1955 B. D. STUVEL 2,714,468

TEAR STRIP CAN OPENER Filed June 21, 1954 INVENTOR BERNARD D. ST UVEL,:lBY Mammal, mus! United States Patent OfiFice 2,714,458 Patented Aug.2, 1955 TEAR STRIP CAN OPENER Bernard D. Stuvel, Indianapolis, Ind.Application June 21, 1954, Serial No. 438,108 Claims. (Cl. 220-52) Thisinvention relates to a structure for engaging the key supplied with tearstrip cans as a means for revolving the key to wind the tear strip uptherearound.

The device consists essentially of a loop of metal from the ends ofwhich extend out laterally oppositely one from the other feet to rest ontop of the can, whereby the head of the key may be engaged within theloop.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an exceedingly simplestructure which may be held by hand without the use of gears, cranks andthe like, and yet which will firmly engage a key so that the key may berevolved entirely around the can taking the strip therewith, in auniform manner.

A further primary object of the invention is to provide a device of theabove indicated nature which will form a guide so that the key is spaceda proper distance vertically along the can in order to have the tearstrip wind up uniformly around the key without tending to wind in ahelix.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent to those versed in the art in the following description of oneparticular form of the invention as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the structure embodying theinvention with a can key engaged thereby;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of the device carrying a key andapplied to a can;

Fig. 3 is a view in top plan of the device on a can;

Fig. 4 is a view in end elevation of a slightly modified form of theinvention; and

Fig. 5 is a view in transverse section on the line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

An integral piece of metal is formed to have a loop 10, from whichextend the legs 11 and 12 downwardly therefrom, the legs 11 and 12terminating respectively in outturned feet 13 and 14. Each of these feet13 and 14 is substantially semi-circular in shape.

The legs 11 and 12 at their lower ends are preferably spaced apart thatdistance which will require them to be spread farther upon the insertionof a key 16 therebetween to some such position as indicated in Figs. 1and 2. That is, the legs 11 and 12 will bear compressibly against thekey 16 tending to retain in position after insertion between those legs.In the form of the invention as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, one of thelegs, and preferably both of the legs 11 and 12 will be struck from theoutside to form the indentations 17 and 18 above the legs 13 and 14whereby the head 20 of the key 16 may be forced past those indentationson the inside sides of the legs 11 and 12 to be carried thereabove, asmeans for preventing the unwarranted pulling out of the key 16 frombetween the legs. These outer indentations 17 and 18 on each of the legs11 and 12 form bosses 21 and 22 on the insides of the legs, Fig. 2 toproduce the obstructions against unwarranted withdrawal of the key.However, the loop is of suflicient elasticity to permit the key 16 to bepulled out from between the legs when desired.

r the key about its shank axis with In using the device, the key 16 isinserted by its head 20 up between the legs 11 and 12 as above describedto have the lower end of the key carrying the strip slot 23 at the rightdistance below the feet 13 and 14 to receive the tongue 24 of the strip25 therein so that the key may be started in its winding operation. Asindicated in Figs. 2 and 3, the feet 13 and 14 will rest upon the top ofthe can 26 so that they may support the key 16 as it is turned throughthe device. It is to be noted that by reason of making each of the feet13 and 14 semicircular in shape, there will always be substantially anequal bearing area of those feet, either both or confined to one footover the top of the can 26 as the device is revolved. This is due to thefact that the shank 27 of the key is centrally disposed of the deviceand extending downwardly therefrom.

In the form of the invention as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, thematerial out of which it is made may be somewhat light in weight, inwhich case the edges of one leg, herein shown as leg 12, may haveoverturned flanges 30 and 31 directed toward the other leg 11. Theseflanges serve to stiffen the leg 12 so that it will not twist or warpout of shape as the device is revolved around the can and pulling offthe strip 25 by the key 16. The other leg 11 may be left without theflanges so as to retain the bending and elasticity therein to permitthat side to be pulled up snugly against the key. That is, the majorarea of the leg 11 may be bent inwardly toward the key between theflanges 3t) and 31 if such a tight grip is necessary to revolve the key16.

Preferably, as indicated in Figs. 2 and] 4, the major horizontal widthof the loop 10 exceeds in dimension the dimension across the legs 11 and12 as viewed in Figs. 2 and 4, so that the loop will form a good meansfor 1 gripping by the fingers of the operator.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the oneparticular form, it is obvious that structural variations may beemployed without departing from the spirit of of the invention, and Itherefore do not desire to be limited to that form beyond thelimitations which may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. For holding and guiding a can key tear strip hav ing a shank with anupper head laterally extending from the shank and having a slotextending longitudinally of and through a lower portion of the shankreceiving a free end of the tear strip of the can therethrough forwinding about the stem, a holder for the key comprising a pair ofapproximately semi-circular feet disposed in a common plane withdiametrical sides adjacent one another; a leg extending upwardly andapproximately normal to said plane from each of the opposing diametricalsides of said feet; said legs at their upper portions integrally unitingone with the other through an inverted U bend in the nature of a loop;said bend through said legs spacing apart said feet a distance normallyless than the thickness of said key head; said key head being receivedbetween said legs upwardly from said feet and compressibly grippedtherebetween as a means for rotating said slotted end portion of the keyshank extending below said feet approximately normal to said planethereof.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which there are key head undersideabutments located on at least one of said legs and spaced to receivesaid shank therebetween, and said bend is elastic permitting insertionand removal of said key head between said legs past said abutments.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which said legs have widths at leastequal to the width of said key head, and said feet diametrical edges areapproximately as long as said width.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which said legs have length permittingsaid key head to be shifted normally of said plane between those legsfor variable length of extension of said shank below said plane forlocation of key head limiting the outward travel of the key shank belowsaid plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSFellows Mar. 10, 1896 Wilson Feb. 21, 1911 Noerteman June 20, 1916

